JUNE 7, 2004

Hyderabad will not host an Indian Grand Prix

The city of Hyderabad in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh will not be hosting the Indian Grand Prix. The idea, promoted by ousted Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has been dropped by the new Chief Minister Rajasekhar Reddy who argues that the state has more important things to do with its money rather than building a race track and paying Formula One Management to hold the race. Naidu argued that a race would improve the local economy and thus raise the standard of living of millions of people in the state but the new Congress Party state government wants to offer more direct improvement for the local population

''We can consider such projects when the coffers overflow," the Premier said.

With Hyderabad having pulled out, the way is now open for rival states to bid for a race. Mumbai would like a race and the rival city of Bangalore was also in the running at one point.